r," the girl thought. "She knew
that Herman Crocker was up here in the attic too, so it's quite
possible she took the letters after he went away."

Although she was disappointed, Penny did not believe that the missing
letters had contained anything of vital significance. It was logical
to assume that had they served as damaging evidence against Herman
Crocker, the man would have destroyed them upon his visit to the attic.

As Penny was reflecting upon the problem, the stairway door opened and
Mrs. Masterbrook called her name.

"There's someone here to see you!" the housekeeper reported.

Penny was annoyed at having been caught in the attic. She had not
known that Mrs. Masterbrook was anywhere about the premises. It was
just another proof that nothing seemed to escape the vigilant eye of
the woman.

"I'll be there in a minute," Penny said.

She closed the lid of the trunk, wiped her dusty hands and went quickly
down the stairs. Reaching the front door, she gave a cry of amazed
delight.

"Susan Altman!"

"I thought you'd be surprised," laughed the other girl, as Penny gave
her a welcome hug. "When your letter arrived I didn't stop to debate.
I just jumped on the train and came."

"I'm tickled pink!" Penny declared slangily. "When you didn't write, I
had started to believe you weren't coming. But why did you walk from
town? Why didn't you telephone?"

"I didn't know you had one."

"Oh, yes, we have all the modern conveniences," laughed Penny. "You
must be dead tired. Come on in."

"I'm not a bit tired," Susan insisted, "but I'd like to wash a few of
the cinders out of my eyes. Such a dirty old train."

"Let me take your suitcase," cried Penny.

The girls went inside and while Susan freshened herself from the
journey, they talked as fast as they could.

"What's all this mystery you wrote me about?" Susan asked in an
undertone. "Who is Mrs. Masterbrook, and where is that old house you
mentioned?"

"You'll hear all about it," Penny promised eagerly. "But let's wait
until we're away from the cottage."

"Even the walls have ears?" laughed Susan.

"No, but our housekeeper has," Penny replied.

The girls soon left the cottage, walking down by the ravine where they
would be alone. Penny told her chum everything that had happened since
she and her father had arrived at Kendon. Susan did not feel that her
friend had placed an imaginative interpretation upon any of the events.

"I'm glad you